Wednesday, November 27, 2013

If you like to listen: BirdNote-- Learn how turkeys cross rivers!"In the early 1800s, John James Audubon wrote: "The great size and beauty of the Wild Turkey, its value as a delicate and highly prized article of food... render it one of the most interesting of the birds indigenous to the United States of America." Read Audubon's description of how Wild Turkeys, which walk more than they fly, cross a river..."

Jet fuel protesters hold emergency meeting in RichmondOpponents of a controversial proposal to build a jet fuel facility on the South Bend of the Fraser River held an emergency meeting in Richmond, B.C., Tuesday. The project would bring more jet fuel to Vancouver International Airport and if approved, see a jet fuel terminal, tank farm and pipeline built on the river and through Richmond. Part of the proposal by Vancouver Airport Fuel Facilities Corporation would also involve using jet fuel tankers coming into waters in South Richmond.

Judge in Seattle sets deadline for plans to protect whales from Navy sonar useA federal judge has set an August deadline for the National Marine Fisheries Service to reassess how it will protect whales and other ocean life from the U.S. Navy's expanded use of sonar in training exercises off the West Coast. U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Nandor Vadas said in a ruling Tuesday that officials must ensure that the Navy's training exercises comply with the federal Endangered Species Act by Aug. 1. In September, Vadas ruled that officials failed to consider the best available scientific data when it approved permits for the Navy in 2012. He also said the agency should consider the long-term effects of the ongoing activities on whales and other marine life. The permits had authorized a five-year Navy plan for operations in the Northwest Training Range Complex. That area stretches from Northern California to the Canadian border.

You decide if you want to watch: Watch Underwater Video Of Sea Stars Dying Off West Seattle(Laura) James wondered how sea stars in Seattle’s Elliott Bay were faring. This past weekend, she took her underwater camera and dove off West Seattle’s shoreline at a place called Cove 1, a popular spot for both local divers and sea stars. The underwater pilings at Cove 1, James said, are normally covered with an army of brightly colored sea stars. The first few minutes of James’ video, filmed a year ago, shows what this area normally looks like. The second half of the video, captures a very different scene. Katie Campbell reports.

Water wells surface as Whatcom's biggest controversyConservative property-rights advocates are sounding an alarm over proposed restrictions on wells they fear could mean the end of the rural way of life in Whatcom County. The well controversy arose after environmentalists challenged Whatcom County rules that they believe don't do enough to protect water resources. In response to the challenge, the state Growth Management Hearings Board issued a ruling that could block property owners from drawing water from their wells, if the basin where they live is closed to new water rights. The county has appealed the ruling to the state Court of Appeals. Ralph Schwartz reports.

Chum salmon risingEver consider eating the lowly chum salmon? The poor cousin of tasty relatives like chinook, coho and sockeye, chum has gotten a bad rap over the years. But when "keta salmon," as it is now marketed, is caught fresh from the ocean and processed quickly, the mild taste and flaky texture make it a great eating fish. And at $7.50/lb for a thick fresh fillet, it compares favorably to fresh Chinook's $29.99/lb price tag and even previously frozen sockeye, which runs around $12.99/lb. Kevin Bailey reports.

The Sinking Of The Lacey V. Murrow Memorial BridgeThe Lacey V. Murrow Memorial Bridge that connected Seattle to Mercer Island sank to the bottom of Lake Washington 23 years ago this weekend. Here in the Evergreen State, there’s something peculiar about bridges and windstorms. Take the original Tacoma Narrows Bridge back in November 1940. Bad design doomed that span from the start and earned the bridge an appropriate nickname. “Galloping Gertie” was blown down in a gale just four months after it opened. Feliks Banel remembers.

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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

If you like to watch:Moving Forward in the FogLaurie MacBride in Eye On Environment writes: "Travelling along on a foggy fall morning, the closest reference points are clear enough. But naturally, as you cast your eyes further ahead, the sharpness diminishes and the landmarks get less and less visible. It’s not unlike how one’s own life can feel at times. So perhaps it’s helpful to remember that as you move forward through the fog, those distant points that are eluding you right now will each, slowly and in turn, come into focus: one tree, one fence post, one morning at a time."

No coal spilled following train derailment in B.C.: TSBThe Transportation Safety Board says there were no spills when a train loaded with coal derailed Monday near Windermere. TSB spokeswoman Julie Leroux said Tuesday that an investigator remains at the site, but at this point there are no reports of spills or injuries. She said northbound Canadian Pacific Railway train derailed Monday morning sending 19 cars carrying coal off the track. She said all the cars were upright, and the agency was not concerned about environmental damage. Rail safety has come into question in recent months after 47 people died this summer when a train carrying crude oil derailed and exploded in Quebec.

Coal Ships And Tribal Fishing GroundsSSA Marine says Cherry Point is an excellent location to build a terminal because it’s surrounded by deep water with quick access to the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Pacific Ocean. If the company has its way, up to 48 million tons of coal could move through these waters each year aboard more than 450 large ships bound for the Asian market. But if the Lummi and other tribes exercise their treaty fishing rights, there may not be any coal ships servicing American terminals in these waters. Ashley Ahearn reports.

If you like to watch:Photos: An ‘epic’ humpback encounter in the NWThe whale-watchers became the whaled-watched on Monday when a humpback whale spent an hour checking them out aboard Captain James Maya’s boat just across the boarder of B.C. about a mile south of Kelp Reef at Darcy Island, Maya said. Jake Ellison reports.

November Transient OrcasOrca Watcher Monika Wieland shares fine pictures and a report from the weekend: "Yesterday I had just gotten home from work when I heard that a group of marine mammal eating transient orcas was in Spieden Channel, just down the road from where I live. I hurried down there and got there just in time to see the seven whales heading east in front of a Washington State Ferry...”

Climate takes back seat as fledgling B.C. LNG industry courts ChinaThe causeway extends 11 kilometres into the Yellow Sea, a horizon-bending energy bridge to China situated not far up the coast from Shanghai. Seven or eight times a month, a giant ship filled with liquefied natural gas docks here, and gas from Qatar, Yemen, Nigeria or Russia flows into the mainland. One day, Christy Clark hopes, Canadian gas will arrive here, too – delivering, in turn, new jobs and plentiful government revenues to the West Coast. China is, by the numbers, an odd place for the Premier of British Columbia to come. Last year, Japan and South Korea imported more than half the world’s LNG. They together bought nearly 10 times more gas than China. But as Ms. Clark dons a bright red safety overcoat for a blustery tour of the Jiangsu LNG Terminal, it’s clear that for B.C., China also holds promise. Nathan Vanderlippe reports.

Washington still hooked on fishingWater, water everywhere and lots of jobs to boot. That’s the gist of a new report on the economic impact of the maritime industry in Washington State. The report spotlights the important role the maritime industry plays in the state’s economy, estimating that the sector generates $30 billion in total revenues and about 148,000 jobs. Stephen Dunphy reports.

State Ferry System Sets Course to Convert to Cheaper LNG FuelThe nation's biggest ferry system is setting a course to convert some of its fleet from diesel to natural gas propulsion. This month, Washington State Ferries formally asked the U.S. Coast Guard to review the proposed changeover. The latest move is another example of fleet operators in the Northwest taking a hard look at cheaper fuel. After three years of study, the Washington State Department of Transportation has determined it is technically and financially feasible to convert six mid-sized car ferries to run on cleaner-burning liquefied natural gas, or LNG. Assistant Secretary David Moseley told lawmakers that moving away from diesel could save 40 to 50 percent at today’s pricing. Tom Banse reports.

Monday, November 25, 2013

Jeannie Finkbonner took this photo while her cousin Justin Finkbonner and his 10-year old son Kaiden Finkbonner pulled in a beach seine net to catch Silver salmon that run along Portage Island and Brandt Island off the Lummi Nation near Bellingham. They rowed 10 miles that day with 9 kids from the Lummi Youth Canoe Family in their traveling canoe built by Dean Washington. Justin likes to volunteer his time to skipper this 38-foot cedar-strip canoe to help revive, protect, promote and preserve their traditional lifeways. Whether traveling on the Intertribal Canoe Journey each summer or making traditional regalia and learning to fish, they are working hard to protect their ways of life and traditional village sites. Support Justin’s efforts by contacting him by email or at 360-305-6301.

Documents Reveal Disturbance Of Native American Archaeological Site At Cherry PointThree summers ago the company that wants to build the largest coal export terminal in North America failed to obtain the environmental permits it needed before bulldozing more than four miles of roads and clearing more than nine acres of land, including some wetlands. Pacific International Terminals also failed to meet a requirement to consult first with local Native American tribes, the Lummi and Nooksack tribes, about the potential archaeological impacts of the work. Sidestepping tribal consultation meant avoiding potential delays and roadblocks for the project’s development. It also led to the disturbance of a site from which 3,000-year-old human remains had previously been removed — and where archeologists suspect more are buried. Ashley Ahearn reports.

Mass: 'Most Amazing Pattern' Defies Tradition, Brings Dry SpellIt may be chilly out there, but it’s also unusually dry for this time of year, says KPLU weather expert Cliff Mass. “It’s really startling,” said Mass, who teaches atmospheric sciences at the University of Washington. “We’re in a most amazing pattern. I mean, this could be the wettest, stormiest time of the year, and it’s going to be basically dry over the next few days. In fact, I think probably the next week, we’re not going to see any precipitation.” We may see a few clouds Tuesday and Wednesday, but then we’ll have wonderful weather for Thanksgiving, says Mass. Bellamy Pailthorp reports.

BC’s Top Ten commercial fishing grounds are richer than you thinkA groundbreaking new study has identified the top ten richest commercial fishing grounds in British Columbia and reveals that they are far richer than you might think. Focused on the province’s North Coast—a vast, remote region under increasing scrutiny due to proposed tar-sands pipelines and oil-tanker routes—the study documents how $167 million in annual commercial catch (2010) is the lifeblood underpinning the social and cultural fabric of many local First Nations and rural communities. The study shows that four of the province’s 10 richest commercial fishing grounds—southern Johnstone Strait, Milbanke Sound on the Central Coast and two areas off Haida Gwaii—are located in North Coast region, which produces half of the province’s total landed value of fisheries.

Jack Knox: Security borders on absurd in pipeline debate
We shouldn’t be surprised that the RCMP and CSIS kept tabs on environmentalists and at least two Victoria politicians during this year’s Northern Gateway hearings. Given the tensions around the proposal, some security planning was needed. Nor should we be surprised that our police and spy agencies meet regularly with energy companies. In the post-9/11 world, sharing intelligence to keep al-Qaeda at bay makes sense. Somewhere, though, the line blurred. Emails released this week show a cosy relationship in which CSIS, a section of the RCMP, our pro-pipeline federal government, the National Energy Board and energy companies are inside the club, while those who oppose Enbridge’s proposal are treated like woolly headed radicals working against the national interest. Which leads to the obvious question: If that’s what Ottawa thinks of British Columbians who worry about oil tankers doing an Exxon Valdez in the tricky inside waters of our coast, how seriously will it listen to them? Jack Knox reports.

Already imperiled Nooksack salmon now face a warmer worldThe warmer, drier summers that will result from climate change could be the final straw for diminishing salmon populations in the south fork of the Nooksack River, according to officials developing a report on what needs to be done to keep the stream habitable. The south fork already is too warm in the summer for growing or spawning salmon, according to the state Department of Ecology. Since 2001, the preferred way to give salmon some cool respite in the south fork has been to place artificial logjams in the stream. That is relatively inexpensive; some 100 logjams have been installed at a cost of about $7 million, said Oliver Grah, water resources program manager for the Nooksack Indian Tribe. Other, more expensive projects will be needed if threatened species such as the spring chinook are to overcome the additional threat posed by climate change, officials said. Ralph Schwartz reports.

Elwha exhibit at Burke explores reborn riverAn exhibit based on the Elwha book by Seattle Times’ Lynda Mapes and Steve Ringman opens Saturday at the Burke Museum.... At the heart of the exhibit is the river, where salmon, steelhead and lampreys lost 70 miles of spawning grounds when dams blocked their passage more than a century ago. It is also the story of the regeneration that has taken place since the Elwha Dam was removed in 2011 and will continue after demolition of the upstream Glines Canyon Dam is completed next year.... “This is a profoundly hopeful story,” said Mapes, who is currently a fellow in the Knight Science Journalism program at MIT. Keith Ervin reports.

Mixed results for Skagit water quality
Since October 2003, Skagit County employees have visited streams that trickle through the Skagit, Samish and Padilla watersheds every other week to collect water samples. The samples document fecal coliform bacteria, temperature and dissolved oxygen levels, as well as phosphorous and nitrogen four times a year. The results reflect the health of local waters for fish, shellfish and recreation... On Wednesday, Skagit County Public Works’ Natural Resources Division released the 2012 Skagit County Water Quality Monitoring Program Annual Report, which summarizes findings since the start of the program through the October 2011 to September 2012 cycle. As in years past, the results are a mixed bag. The bad news is many of the streams do not meet state water quality standards and the causes, whether natural or human-related, are inconclusive. Most of the poor results are found in the Samish Basin and tributaries to the Skagit River, while the Skagit River itself tends to meet water quality standards more often than not, according to the report. Kimberly Cauvel reports.

Sewage project delays could cost $1 million a month, official saysGreater Victoria’s sewage project is close to falling behind schedule and incurring a million dollars a month in extra costs, says the civilian commission overseeing the project. Chairwoman Brenda Eaton said Friday that with politicians yet to authorize rezoning for a treatment plant at McLoughlin Point, staff have been conducting a line-by-line analysis of the $783-million budget and schedule to examine the situation. “We estimate that a one- month delay is $1 million,” Eaton said. Rob Shaw reports.

B.C. humpback whales use seabirds to find herring, new research revealsA population of humpback whales off northern Vancouver Island is taking advantage of diving seabirds to exploit herring stocks, new research shows. Christie McMillan, a fisheries science master’s student at Simon Fraser University, says that seabirds such as rhinoceros auklets and common murres dive into the ocean and swim beneath the herring so the prey forms tight schools known as “bait balls”. “It’s a response of all herring,” she said in an interview at a weekend marine mammal symposium at the University of B.C. “When they’re startled, their response is to group up tight. It’s instinctual: ‘There’s a predator, get close to my neighbour, and hopefully he gets eaten instead of me.’” Larry Pynn reports.

Things are not looking up for dark-sky watchersThe sad truth is that the current bunch of us will be the first in the history of the planet to go most or all the way through life failing to grasp our place in the universe. Because we simply have never seen it. Ron Judd reports.

DNA testing provides clues on captured B.C. ‘frankenfish’The “frankenfish” that generated international attention when video of it swimming in a Burnaby pond surfaced on YouTube was likely not a northern snakehead after all, says a new study. But researchers say the fish – which was most likely a blotched snakehead that might not have survived the winter – still feasted on other species during its time in the pond, and could have yielded more serious consequences if it found its way into the Fraser River. Sunny Dillon reports.

Vancouver [BC] Barge Company Signs On To Coal ProjectWhile Ambre Energy awaits state and federal permits to build a controversial coal export terminal at the Port of Morrow, the company signed a letter of intent with Tidewater Barge Lines for transportation service along the Columbia River. Tidewater, based in Vancouver, Wash., will operate tugboats and barges needed to move the coal 218 miles down river — if the project receives permits from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Oregon Department of State Lands and Department of Environmental Quality. The Morrow Pacific project would ship 8.8 million tons of coal per year on covered barges from Boardman to Port Westward, an industrial park located between St. Helens and Astoria. From there, it would load onto ocean-going vessels for export to Asian markets including Japan, South Korea and Taiwan. George Plaven reports.

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT MON NOV 25 2013 SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 AM PST THIS MORNING TODAY SE WIND 15 TO 25 KT...EASING TO 5 TO 15 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT...SUBSIDING TO 2 FT OR LESS IN THE
AFTERNOON. W SWELL 3 FT AT 11 SECONDS. TONIGHT SE WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 4 FT AT 11 SECONDS.
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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

New Research: Lab Fish Fed Plastic More Likely To Develop Tumors, Liver ProblemsChelsea Rochman, the lead author of a new paper from the journal Nature, Scientific Reports, says: “We did find that the chemicals do transfer from the plastic to the fish...and we saw a greater concentration in the fish that ate the plastic that had been in the ocean than the fish that had eaten the controlled diet or the clean plastic diet.” As plastic floats around in the ocean, or polluted waterways, it acts like a sponge for heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants. That, Rochman says, could explain why the fish fed the San Diego Bay plastic showed higher levels of those chemicals in their bodies. Ashley Ahearn reports.

Fish consumption rate keys pollution lawsLegislators grappled Thursday with a seemingly small question that has a big impact on Washington’s pollution laws: How much fish do people eat? The answer will affect water pollution standards on many state waterways and the companies that must meet those standards because some of the pollution ends up in fish. How much fish people eat can determine the risk for some cancers and other diseases. The question is more complicated than it sounds, Kelly Susewind of the Department of Ecology told the Senate Energy, Environment and Telecommunications Committee. Some groups, particularly Native Americans, eat more fish than others, and some people don’t eat any. Fish that spend their entire lives in a polluted river like the Spokane pick up more pollution than salmon, which are born in fresh water, live in salt water for much of their lives, then return to fresh water. Salmon that spend most of their lives in the Puget Sound can have as much as five times the polychlorinated biphenyls or PCBs, a known carcinogen, as salmon that spawn in coastal streams and live most of their lives in the Pacific. Jim Camden and Becky Kramer report. See also: New water standards may spare Boeing

Pollution report on B.C. LNG projects raises alarm...SkeenaWild Conservation Trust, a northwest B.C. environmental organization concerned about the area’s wild salmon ecosystem, released a report Thursday that estimated three proposed Kitimat LNG plants will burn 2.5 times more natural gas than is consumed in Metro Vancouver annually. The report, Air Advisory: The Air Quality Impacts of Liquefied Natural Gas Operations Proposed for Kitimat, B.C., concluded LNG plants permitted to operate primarily with natural gas will collectively burn 60 per cent of all the natural gas burned annually in B.C. The report concluded nitrogen oxide emissions from the LNG plants would increase 500 per cent above existing levels. Nitrogen oxide emissions create acid rain, which harms waterways and fish and creates smog, which causes respiratory problems for children and the elderly, the report states. The report also concluded natural gas driven LNG plants will increase emissions in the Kitimat area of volatile organic compounds, carbon monoxide and sulphur dioxide. Dirk Meissner reports.

On behalf of North Dakota and Montana, McKenna calls Washington coal study unconstitutional Former Attorney General Rob McKenna has written a letter to Washington state on behalf of Montana and North Dakota that questions the constitutionality of Washington’s Department of Ecology review of a proposed coal-export terminal. “Some of the issues to be evaluated by Ecology transgress the boundaries of the States, infringing on (Montana and North Dakota’s) sovereignty,” McKenna wrote in a letter sent Monday, adding the review “ranges far beyond the boundaries of legitimate state interest.” He also wrote that the review of the proposed Gateway Terminal at Cherry Point, in Whatcom County, “is unrealistically broad, includes speculative impacts, requires impossible assessments of foreign environmental impacts, and appears to have been designed to hinder the development of that terminal.” Brian Rosenthal reports.

Length of B.C. oil spills investigation raises questionsTwo small spills on Kinder Morgan’s Trans Mountain pipeline in British Columbia have triggered an investigation by the National Energy Board that is still going on six months after the incidents occurred. The length of the investigation into the spills that appeared minor at the time has prompted questions about whether the incidents were larger than reported, or whether it points to a potentially bigger problem with the structural integrity of the 60-year-old pipeline. Kinder Morgan, however, disputes both. Mark Hume reports.

Unique ‘tropical oceanic’ orcas still traveling west“Tropical oceanic” killer whales, which were tagged near Hawaii and tracked by satellite, have now moved about 860 miles west. As of yesterday, they were approaching Johnston Atoll, seen just to the left of their last known location shown on the map above, according to Robin Baird of Cascadia Research Collective, based in Olympia. Initially, three orcas were tagged in this first effort to track the unique breed of killer whale, which travels in the open ocean. Christopher Dunagan blogs.

If you like to watch:Sumner’s great goose spectacleDrivers passing a farm field near Sumner are being distracted by a massive flock of geese. Neighbors said the geese are feasting on a freshly cut corn field with some tasty ears and stalks left behind. They fly into the north Pierce County farm in the morning and begin a daily cycle of flying off, circling around and then coming back in for a landing. There are a few swans and ducks mixed in, but it is primarily Canada geese. Gary Chittim reports. Meanwhile, in the UK: Lake clean-up leads to huge bird decline at sanctuary

Oldest Large Body of Ancient Seawater Identified Under Chesapeake BayUSGS scientists have determined that high-salinity groundwater found more than 1,000 meters (0.6 mi.) deep under the Chesapeake Bay is actually remnant water from the Early Cretaceous North Atlantic Sea and is probably 100-145 million years old. This is the oldest sizeable body of seawater to be identified worldwide. Twice as salty as modern seawater, the ancient seawater was preserved like a prehistoric fly in amber, partly by the aid of the impact of a massive comet or meteorite that struck the area about 35 million years ago, creating Chesapeake Bay.

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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Thursday, November 21, 2013

If you like to watch:Seals released with GPS trackers by Vancouver AquariumFive seals equipped with satellite transmitters were released by the Vancouver Aquarium Wednesday morning, in order to track how rehabilitated animals fare once released into the wild. The seals, which were cared for at the aquarium's Marine Mammal Rescue Centre, were transported in dog kennels and released at Porteau Cove in Howe Sound, just north of Vancouver on the Sea to Sky Highway, on Wednesday morning, along with two other seals that were not equipped with transmitters.

Derelict ship could soon be removed from Hylebos WaterwayA derelict 167-foot boat that sank in Tacoma’s Hylebos Waterway 10 months ago could be raised and hauled off next month. The Helena Star went down Jan. 25, taking with it a former fishing vessel it was tied to and spilling nearly 1,000 gallons of diesel and lube oil into the water. Officials placed a containment boom to stop the rest of the spill from spreading. The other vessel, 130-foot Golden West, was moved Oct. 16, and its owner removed from it 10,500 gallons of recyclable oil. Stacia Glenn reports.

Bellingham audience told glaciers, oysters show climate change impactsNorthwest glaciers are shrinking and marine life is struggling as climate change makes itself felt on land and sea. That was the message that more than 200 members of Bellingham City Club heard Wednesday, Nov. 20, from glacier scientist Michele Koppes and Taylor Shellfish Farms public policy manager Bill Dewey... As of now, the approximately 700 glaciers in the North Cascade Mountains hold as much fresh water as all the region's rivers and lakes combined, but that total keeps dropping. In many areas of the North Cascades, the amount of water stored in mountain snow is down 45 to 60 percent since 1950 based on April measurements... John Stark reports. Meanwhile:How Rain Strengthens The Cascades Snowpack

Picturesque Puget Sound lagoon littered with toxic sea junkChainsaws shattered the quiet Tuesday at one of the most picturesque spots on Puget Sound. The natural estuaries in Nick's Lagoon in Seabeck, on Hood Canal, have a problem. "It's a toxic chemical," said Kristian Tollefson, a restoration specialist with the Washington Department of Natural Resources, referring to the creosote permeating the decades-old wood debris..."Yeah, that's actually a piece of ship," said Scott Phillips, a worker with Puget Soundcorp, part of the 12-man crew on site today beginning the removal of 15 tons of debris. "I'm not sure where it came from but we're cutting it up and getting it out." There is steel, metal floats, tires and more. But the most dangerous is the creosote-soaked wood debris. Lots of it. Jeff Burnside reports.

Overfished pinto abalone to be considered for endangered listA 6-inch Pacific Ocean marine snail prized for its delicate flavor and colorful shell will be considered for endangered or threatened species status. The National Marine Fisheries Service announced last week that it will conduct a status review for pinto abalone, which are found from Alaska to Baja California. The Natural Resources Defense Council and the Center for Biological Diversity filed petitions over the summer calling for the status review that could lead to added protections for the species. Dan Joling reports.

Middle Green River Coalition receives $10,000 grant for stewardship along Green RiverThe Rose Foundation selected the Middle Green River Coalition (MGRC) as a recipient of a $10,000 grant from the Puget Sound Stewardship and Mitigation Fund. The funding will support the continued water quality and habitat restoration project adjacent to Soos Creek along the Green River southeast of Auburn, near the Neeley Mansion. To date, MGRC has planted more than 3,000 native willow and cottonwood on the site and has maintained it to ensure the plants survive. The project expands on an existing Washington Department of Ecology grant that King County Department of Natural Resources received to remove blackberry and plant native vegetation along the creek to improve fish and wildlife habitat and water quality.The Puget Sound Stewardship and Mitigation Fund was created by a legal settlement between the Puget Soundkeeper Alliance and Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) Railway.

Everett seeks artists to create rain barrelsOne of the more rainy places in the world is looking for artists to make rain barrels. The city of Everett is launching the program, "Let It Rain." The city is looking for artists to make creative rain barrels to display from February until summer in downtown Everett and at Everett Mall. Artists are asked to submit their design concepts by Friday. Rain barrels can be made with recycled materials. The city will buy the barrels for $300 each, for a total of $4,500. Up to 15 artists will be selected. Maria Damman reports.

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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Look to the Sky before Dawn This Week to Catch Comet ISONIf you wake up early and the skies are clear, you could be in for a treat this week. A comet named ISON should be visible through binoculars over the southeastern horizon. Astronomy websites have hyped the passage of this comet as the best in more than a decade. But a lot depends on a close encounter with the sun next week. A nice bright comet comes by about once per decade on average says Chris Anderson, the observatory coordinator at the College of Southern Idaho in Twin Falls. We're overdue; the last appearance of an easily visible comet around here was Hale-Bopp in 1997. Tom Banse reports.

Flood prone Everett neighborhood dry thanks to new program.... the City of Everett is returning to nature to alleviate perennial flood problems. They're building "rain gardens" around town on people's properties. A rain garden is essentially a ditch dug in your yard and then filled in with soil and plants like a forest. The vegetation filters and soaks up stormwater from downspouts and roads and diverts it into the watershed. Less water runs into gutters and storm drains, keeping cellars dry and plumbing from backing up. Everett's Public Works Department is promoting the projects, even paying for them. Hoping interest in thegardens will grow, the city will subsidize up to $2500 per home. Eric Wilkinson reports.

Agency wants culverts uncloggedA mixed agricultural and estuarine environment on an island in the South Fork Skagit River is a lot soggier than it’s supposed to be. The state Department of Fish and Wildlife owns the 273-acre Island Unit in the delta, south of Conway and off of Wylie Road, and has proposed a $30,000 project to clear partially blocked culverts and drainage ditches that aren’t letting water out. Dikes separate the land from the Skagit River and Skagit Bay tidal zones, but it lies in the Skagit River’s 100-year flood plain and seasonally floods in late winter, according to Fish and Wildlife’s Joint Aquatic Resources Permit Application with Skagit County and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Kimberly Cauvel reports.

What can the Philippines teach us about our fisheries?A Burke Museum cultural exchange brings Filipinos here to the Suquamish reservation to learn about culture and ethnography. But they've got their own tricks up their sleeve. University of Washington Professor of Marine and Environmental Affairs Patrick Christie has done a lot of research in the Philippines — for which he is currently trying to marshall typhoon relief — and he has noticed one thing among many: People seem to feel a strong connection to Pacific Northwest fisheries. That might reflect the large number of Filipinos and Filipino-Americans who have worked in salmon canneries. Dan Chasan reports. See also Carl Safina's blog: Fishermen In Palau Take On Role of Scientist To Save Their Fishery

Emergency Responders Prepare For Higher Risk Of Oil Spills In The NorthwestNorthwest emergency responders are meeting in Portland Tuesday to discuss the increased potential for oil spills in the region. Several oil-by-rail projects have been proposed in Washington state. The largest of those would be built at the Port of Vancouver if it is approved... Tuesday’s meeting includes emergency responders from the Coast Guard, the Environmental Protection Agency, Oregon, Washington and Idaho environmental agencies, railroads and oil companies. The agenda features an in-depth discussion of how to respond to an oil train derailment. Cassandra Profita reports.

Ian Mulgrew: Land Conservancy’s asset sale mired in legal proceedingsThe creditor protection proceedings involving TLC — The Land Conservancy — have become a legal donnybrook over the proposed sale of heritage properties. Although the non-profit charity beset by debt planned to sell assets to ease its financial burden, the B.C. Supreme Court has blocked the Nov. 29 closing date on an offer to purchase historic B.C. Binning House in West Vancouver.

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Oooh, this is cool:Tube worm lights up the undersea night with vitamin BThis is not a fight with light sabres or a biological sample made visible with glowing dye. It's a real living phenomenon: this parchment tube worm's whole body fluoresces bright green when exposed to a certain wavelength of light. What's more, prod it and it expels puffs of mucus that generate bright blue light...

Today’s Event:Public Forum on Risky Business: How oil transport threatens Washington’s health, economy and watersWashington State is becoming center stage in transportation of oil. Learn more about oil transport proposals, the risks they pose to Washington, what protections and safeguards are currently in place, and what gaps need to be addressed to reduce the risk of oil spills. Tuesday, November 19, 6:30 PM, Center for Urban Horticulture, 3501 NE 41st St., Seattle. To RSVP: Rein Attemann.

New blog: Read A Newspaper Recently?Only a fourth of the adult population reads newspapers. Google this year will do $60 billion in revenue, mostly from advertising, more than either newspapers and magazines. Puget Sound daily newspapers are neither search engines nor social media platforms. But, in this day and age-- and into the future -- what are they?

165,000 coal comments — and a message for Obama A phenomenal total of 165,000 people have written or signed comments to federal, state and local agencies evaluating a proposed coal export terminal in Longview on the Columbia River, topping the number heard from on another coal port proposed for Cherry Point, north of Bellingham. And 21 state legislators have weighed in, in a tough letter urging a sweeping review of what impacts the terminals, which would ship coal to China, would have on both the “natural environment” and “Washington’s built environment . . . impacts felt by cities and counties across Washington state.”... The lawmakers’ letter, signed by Seattle’s Mayor-elect Ed Murray, is a direct shot across the bow of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which opted to do a very limited, site specific environmental study of the proposed Gateway Pacific Terminal project at Cherry Point. It’s also a message to President Obama. The President is due in the Puget Sound area for one of his “cash and dash” big-ticket fundraising visits. Joel Connelly reports. See also: Thousands Weigh in on SW Wash. Coal-Export Plan

Top U.N. official warns industry leaders of coal risksIn a speech Monday in Warsaw, the United Nations’ top officer on climate change warned coal-industry executives that much of the world’s coal will need to be left in the ground if international climate goals are to be met.

PCB investigation leads to Tacoma neighborhoodTacoma’s Foss Waterway is heavily monitored for any toxins that threaten its cleanup. So when workers with Tacoma’s Environmental Services Division discovered traces of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the waste water system, they launched an investigation. They found the source and possibility identified a problems for many other cities in the region, state and country. Investigators tracked the PCBs, which have been determined to cause cancer and other health problems, several miles up the storm sewer system. It led them to a small 1970s-era neighborhood on Tacoma’s east side. Workers took samples and found a sealant used in the joints between the curb and streets in five blocks of the neighborhood were contaminated with PCBs. Gary Chittim reports.

Ferries overhaul ends free rides for seniors, cuts trips on minor routes, adds gamblingThe B.C. government is clawing back free ferry passes for seniors, slashing thousands of sailings and introducing slot machines on certain ships in a bid to stem losses at the financially-troubled B.C. Ferries corporation. The cutbacks and changes will be unpopular, Transportation Minister Todd Stone admitted Monday, but are necessary to achieve $19 million in savings required to keep fares affordable. Rob Shaw reports.

Seattle Waterfront Braces For Seawall ConstructionConstruction begins this month on the long-anticipated plan to replace Seattle’s crumbling downtown seawall. Waterfront businesses are bracing for what is likely to be three years of disruptions from the $290 million project, which was approved by voters last year...The first phase of the project involves re-routing traffic from Alaskan Way, the main arterial that runs along the waterfront. Construction crews need to excavate the road to reach the seawall, which lies beneath it. Deborah Wang reports.

Issaquah bag-ban foe goes to court over ballot languageA judge will decide whether ballot language on an initiative to repeal Issaquah’s plastic-bag ban is misleading and should be rewritten. Craig Keller, sponsor of the initiative citizens will vote on Feb. 11, filed a petition Friday in King County Superior Court that objects to the wording of the ballot title and ballot statement. Keller is chair of Save Our Choice, the group that circulated petitions against the law, which went into effect for larger stores last March and is scheduled to be extended to smaller stores next March. Keith Ervin reports.

Monday, November 18, 2013

If you like to watch:Day’s End at Fisherman’s WharfLaurie MacBride in Eye on Environment writes: "As a life-long west coaster, I’ve always loved the intricate and fascinating jigsaw puzzle formed by the poles, booms, gurdies, lines, drums and nets of commercial fish boats. On summer days when the fleet is in port, Fisherman’s Wharf can be hectic as skippers and crews race to repair gear, do engine maintenance, re-provision and prepare for their next departure. Morning comes very early for fishermen, though, so by dusk, things slow way down. You can almost hear the hush that falls over the docks, as dreams turn to what the next day might bring..."

Elwha River sees largest run of Chinook in decadesThe largest run of Chinook salmon in decades returned to the Elwha River this fall, according to officials with the Olympic National Park. Fish are streaming into stretches of the Elwha River and its tributaries that were formerly blocked by the Elwha Dam, park officials said Friday on its website. The Elwha Dam, one of two dams on the river, stood for nearly a century before it came down in 2012.

Paying witness to the salmon cycleAbout 70 people braved Sunday’s wet weather to watch chum salmon complete their life cycle, swimming up Kennedy Creek in Mason County – about halfway between Olympia and Shelton – to spawn and die. Visitors can watch all that take place at Kennedy Creek Salmon Trail, which offers trails and 11 viewpoints along them so the curious can see the fish in action, swimming to that spot on Kennedy Creek, or the shallower Fiscus Creek, to lay eggs where they were born. Rolf Boone reports.

Climate change rallies staged across CanadaOrganizers say more than 130 protests against climate change were staged across Canada Saturday, with the largest gathering held in Vancouver where participants showed their opposition to Enbridge's proposed Northern Gateway pipeline. The protests were part of a national day of action to "Defend Our Climate." Outside Vancouver's Science World, nearly 1,000 participants held colourful signs while chanting and singing slogans, while others pounded on drums and played the bagpipes.

LNG’s greenhouse-gas impact is prompting Clark to get creative with numbersPremier Christy Clark’s government is working on a strategy to claim credit for reducing greenhouse-gas emissions outside of B.C. borders. On the same day that an internal government document surfaced showing her government expects a liquefied natural gas industry could double the province’s GHG emissions, Ms. Clark said it’s time to take a more global view of the environment. Justine Hunter reports.

Bellingham seeks agreement with Lummi Nation on new park walkwayThe city is trying to work out environmental issues with Lummi Nation in order to clear the way for construction of an over-water walkway between Boulevard Park and a new park planned for the Cornwall Beach area to the north... But because the walkway would require pilings and other structures across a stretch of the bay, the city needs approval from Lummi Nation. Federal court rulings have recognized that tribes with treaty fishing rights have the authority to block any encroachment on their traditional fishing grounds. That includes both obstruction of fishing activity and destruction of habitat such as eelgrass that nurtures salmon and other marine life. John Stark reports.

BC Ferries cuts expected on smaller island routesThe B.C. government is expected to announce cuts to ferry service on many smaller island routes this morning, as part of a plan to trim spending at BC Ferries. Transportation Minister Todd Stone is expected to reveal how the province plans to find $19-million dollars in savings at the provincially-owned corporation.

Metro leaders say oil-spill prep needs to be betterMetro Vancouver leaders say plans to clean up an oil spill in Burrard Inlet are not up to snuff — and should be improved before a proposed new pipeline goes forward. Those are the views of leaders like Belcarra Mayor Ralph Drew, who is spearheading a drive by Metro Vancouver to hold pipeline proponent Kinder Morgan to the highest possible standards in Vancouver Harbour. Drew said Friday that the company which is certified for to clean up, Western Canada Marine Response Corp., is not committed to starting operations until six hours after an accident. He said that’s not good enough. Kent Spencer reports.

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'Oldest bird tracks in world' found in B.C.Paleontologists hunting for dinosaur tracks in B.C.'s Peace Region have unexpectedly discovered tiny footprints that they believe could be among the oldest bird tracks in the world. The amazing find was discovered when a huge rock slab was sent from the nearby canyons to the Peace Region Paleontology Research Centre for analysis of tracks possibly made by the meat-eating theropod Allosaurus. But next to the large dinosaur footprints, Tumbler Ridge paleontologist Lisa Buckley found four tiny tracks, likely belonging to ancient shore birds.

Coal’s health impact in the crosshairs in Metro VancouverA soon-to-be released environmental impact assessment ordered by Port Metro Vancouver does not adequately address the health impacts of the proposed coal terminal at Surrey Fraser Docks, say the region’s chief medical health officers. Vancouver Coastal Health Authority chief medical health officer Dr. Patricia Daly and her Fraser Health counterpart have read the draft assessment report and sent a letter Wednesday to Port Metro Vancouver detailing their concerns. Daly said they will release the letter — also signed by Fraser Health Authority chief medical health officer Dr. Paul Van Buynder — to the public if the port does not. Gordon Hoekstra reports.

State Blocks Permits For 2 Grays Harbor Oil TerminalsA state regulatory board is blocking permits for two crude oil shipping terminals in Grays Harbor, Wash., saying backers have failed to address public safety and environmental issues... The Washington Shorelines Hearings Board said the permits didn’t adequately assess the environmental risk of oil spills, seismic events, greenhouse gas emissions, and impacts to cultural resources. The denial of these permits won’t necessarily stop the projects from going forward, but the Department of Ecology may require a more comprehensive review. Ashley Ahearn reports.

How Public Officials Manage To Review 200,000 Comments On Coal ExportsAcross the Northwest, thousands of people are crowding into meeting rooms to submit their comments on coal export and oil-by-rail projects. Many of them wear T-shirts in protest or in support; they wait hours for a chance to speak for two or three minutes. The crowd isn’t allowed to clap or cheer so they silently wave their hands or put their thumbs up if they agree with the people speaking. Officials listen as people sound off one by one. What happens after that? Cassandra Profita reports.

Developers winning out over farmland preservation, B.C. planner says The way farmland is managed in British Columbia and across Canada is being put under the microscope in a three-year study that will involve nine researchers from six different universities. The biggest cities in Canada are where the best farmland is, said David Connell, an associate professor of environmental planning at the University of Northern British Columbia in Prince George, and that has led to constant and increasing pressure to develop agricultural land for golf courses, condominiums and shopping malls – or rodeo grounds, as happened this year in Fort St. John, B.C. Mark Hume reports.

Thurston County announces completion of major septic to sewer conversion projectThurston County Public Works officials say they have reached a “significant milestone” to improve water quality in Woodland Creek and Henderson Inlet thanks to a recent septic to sewer conversion project. According to a county news release, the project changed 128 homes in Woodland Creek Estates and the adjoining Covington Place subdivision from septic to public sewer. Lisa Pemberton reports.

New Big Lake sewer plant starts operationA Big Lake-area sewer district began the switch to a new sewer plant Thursday, but some residents remain unhappy about the rate hikes that come with it. Skagit County Sewer District No. 2 serves about 800 customers, and residential rates were raised from $45 to $68 per month beginning last fall to help pay for the new wastewater treatment facility, which cost about $7 million. The district is required to upgrade the facility when it reaches 85 percent of design capacity, which happened about four years ago, said Kelly Wynn, district manager. Rachel Lerman reports.

Thursday, November 14, 2013

If you like to watch: Fall Feast – for OthersLaurie MacBride in Eye On Environment writes: "I’ve found what I think may be a cluster of Chanterelles – though lacking mushroom expertise, I’m not about to taste them. But others around our place seem to have no hesitation in turning the fungal bounty into a feast..."

Can Mushrooms Help Fight Stormwater Pollution?Ah, the Garden Giant. He’s a jolly fellow who roams around your garden at night tossing mulch as he merrily skips along, helping your veggies grow lush and tall. Not quite. The Garden Giant is actually a species of mushroom, scientifically known as Stropharia rugosoannulata, that may hold a key to filtering harmful pollutants from stormwater runoff. Although this mushroom can be rather “giant” as the name implies, growing up to eight inches tall and a foot wide at its cap, it is not the mushroom itself that does the work. It is something hidden underground -- a fungal root-like material called mycelium. Mycelium is a microscopic, cobwebby, fungal thread that, when mixed with woody debris, decomposes bacteria. Sarah Strunin reports.

Scientists warn of hot, sour, breathless oceansGreenhouse gases are making the world's oceans hot, sour and breathless, and the way those changes work together is creating a grimmer outlook for global waters, according to a new report Wednesday from 540 international scientists. The world's oceans are getting more acidic at an unprecedented rate, faster than at any time in the past 300 million years, the report said. But it's how this interacts with other global warming impacts to waters that scientists say is getting them even more worried. Seth Borenstein reports.

Waterfront planning process raises more questions than answersStephan Michaels writes: "Like many Whatcom County residents, I cannot profess being sufficiently educated about the specifics of Bellingham’s complicated waterfront plan to dissect it in detail. Yet one thing is patently clear: the public process conducted over the preceding ten years has been tossed aside in order to fast track the development of our long neglected shoreline. In the desire to get “something done” sooner than later, the current plan provides potential developers with a sweet incentives and locked-in environmental standards. And in the long term, taxpayers will not be getting what they wanted: a vibrant, multi-use waterfront, properly cleaned-up from the toxic mess left by the Georgia Pacific paper mill..."

B.C. Oil and Gas Commission accused of violating Water Act
Three environmental groups have filed a lawsuit against the British Columbia Oil and Gas Commission and natural gas company Encana over the use of water from B.C.'s lakes and rivers. The suit, filed Wednesday in B.C. Supreme Court, claims the commission has granted repeated short-term water licences, in violation of the provincial Water Act. The environmental groups say as Encana proceeded with the fracking process to extract natural gas from underground reserves, it drew 880 Olympic swimming pools worth of water over three years from the Kiskatinaw River, which supplies drinking water to the city of Dawson Creek.

Deal to build sewage plant in Esquimalt falls apartA tentative deal for a sewage treatment plant in Esquimalt fell apart Wednesday as Greater Victoria politicians refused to endorse a plan to barge construction materials to McLoughlin Point. The unknown costs of building a dock and running barges to and from the site raised alarm bells for almost everyone on the Capital Regional District’s sewage committee, except Esquimalt Mayor Barb Desjardins. Politicians refused to support the idea, and after much debate punted the entire issue to a future meeting while staff gather more information. Rob Shaw reports.

Chum salmon ‘wiped out’ by 2011 fuel spill in Goldstream RiverAn entire batch of chum salmon hit by a 2011 fuel spill in Goldstream Provincial Park have been “wiped out” and failed to return to spawn this year, a local hatchery says. Three-year-old chum, which were directly affected as juveniles by the tanker truck crash and spill into Goldstream River, have not returned to the park this year to spawn because they likely died when the spill occurred, said Peter McCully of the Goldstream Hatchery. Rob Shaw reports.

New flasher wrasse species discovered in IndonesiaA new fish of the flasher wrasse species with striking orange color and rounded fins has been found in Indonesia's coral reefs, a conservation group announced Wednesday. Scientists from Conservation International and the Indonesian Biodiversity Research Centre discovered the species in East Nusa Tenggara province, said a statement from Conservation International. The discovery was published in the latest Aqua, International Journal of Ichthyology. (Check out the photo: very cool looking fish)

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

If you like to watch: Longfellow Creek - Nov. 11, 2013Laura James shares: "Fish... healthy fish and sad sick fish, in Longfellow Creek near Seattle Washington. I wonder how many days it takes for them to be poisoned by the water into which they swim... I logically know they are supposed to swim upstream and die, and that is natural order of things, but i still find watching the sickened fish who will die pre-spawning due to toxins and pollutants very sad."

Mystery white liquid may be harming Still Creek, B.C. salmonA mysterious white liquid seems to be leaking into East Vancouver's Still Creek, raising concerns about the health of the chum salmon that had just returned there to spawn for the first time in 80 years. Bruce Causier posted a video of the leak on YouTube Friday, and the liquid was still seen flowing when CBC News visited the creek to investigate on Tuesday. The City of Vancouver says staff is investigating the substance, but have not yet determined the source.

Oceanic killer whales being tracked near HawaiiFor the first time, researchers are tracking by satellite a group of “tropical oceanic” killer whales, a type rarely seen and almost a complete mystery to scientists. Researchers from Olympia-based Cascadia Research were in Hawaii, on the final day of a 15-day research cruise to study marine mammals, when they encountered four killer whales offshore from Kona. They were the type of orca known to roam the open ocean, but rarely seen by human observers. In fact, in 14 years of research work in Hawaii, Cascadia’s Robin Baird said he has encountered these tropical killer whales only three times before. Others have seen them on occasion, but sightings are few and far between. Chris Dunagan reports.

Scientists say as climate changes, odds increase for deadly stormsMembers of an international conservation group say it’s time to prepare for more intense, more frequent and more damaging storms in Puget Sound. "We're going to be seeing more of these storms, they're going to be more severe, and they're going to be more frequent than historically, was the case," said Chris Davis of the Nature Conservancy. Davis said the science makes it clear that storms have already begun to get more intense. He cited one last December that created the highest tide ever recorded in Seattle and flooded neighborhoods that are usually protected by bulkheads.

Tankers, barges and trains, oh my: The growing fossil-fuel threats in WashingtonVast amounts of crude oil, primarily from the Bakken shale formation in North Dakota, is being transported by rail throughout the United State and Canada. Eleven rail terminals are in various stages of completion in Washington state in anticipation of receiving this “shale on rail.” The public and regulators need to take a closer look at the big picture. Fred Felleman opines.

U.S. predicted to become world’s largest oil producer in 2015 The United States will surpass Russia and Saudi Arabia to become the world’s largest oil producer in 2015, the International Energy Agency (IEA) forecasts. But the IEA’s long-term energy outlook, released Tuesday, predicted the Middle East will retake its position a decade later as the dominant source of global-oil-supply growth. Sean Cockerham reports.

Public has longer to weigh in on Vancouver oil terminal planThe state agency reviewing a proposed oil terminal at the Port of Vancouver says it's giving the public more time to comment on the project as part of an environmental-impact evaluation. The scoping period, launched Oct. 3 and originally scheduled to wrap up Nov. 18, will now last until 5 p.m. Dec. 18. The process aims to determine what will be examined in an environmental impact statement. Aaron Corvin reports.

Cigarette butt recycling launched in VancouverVancouver is launching a pilot program to recycle cigarette butts in an effort to clean up one of the most pervasive types of urban trash. As part of the program, 110 receptacles to collect butts will be mounted on posts around the city's downtown. The butts will be collected by employees from the city's Downtown Eastside, who will take them to United We Can, which already runs a recycling depot for bottle collectors.

When it rains, it stinks at Lynnwood condosThey worry when it rains. When a storm hits the Casa Del Rey Condominiums in Lynnwood, sewage burbles up in bathtubs, shower drains and kitchen sinks. Sheri Cooley and her partner hurry to shower and cook dinner before the flooding. Once it starts, they have to go to a minimart up the street, buying mints or candy so they can use the bathroom as paying customers, she said. Rikki King reports.

About Me

Salish Sea Communications provides communications and public relations services that raise visibility and engage audiences. Drawing on over 30 years experience in private, public and not-for-profit work, Mike Sato brings to you his skills and insights in developing and carrying out your print, electronic and social media projects and products. "I've been in the communications business since 1977 starting with community weekly newspapers then working for Seattle City Light, the Puget Sound Water Quality Authority, Hawaiian Electric Company and, for 20 years, People For Puget Sound." Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told. WA State UBI #601395482